GenoSmith

News: 5 days agoSmith completed 24 of 43 pass attempts for 180 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions while rushing five times for 20 yards in Monday's 20-9 loss to the Chargers.

Spin: This outing was doomed from the get go when Smith threw the first of three interceptions on the first play from scrimmage. The 34-year-old had no answers after netting just 45 yards of offense through the first half of action Monday. This putrid showing comes on the heels of Smith airing it out for 362 yards in a Week 1 win over the Patriots, highlighting the peaks and valleys that come with a quarterback who threw 21 TDs to 15 picks with Seattle last season. The Raiders will be counting on a bounce-back performance from its veteran signal-caller in a softer matchup against Washington in Week 3.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Smith was traded to Las Vegas during the offseason. He reunites with Pete Carroll, who was Seattle's head coach when Smith posted career-best marks in passing yards (4,282), pass TDs (30) and fantasy finish (fifth, or ninth in PPG) in 2022. Smith's output has dipped quite a bit the last two seasons (22nd in PPG in 2023 and 16th in 2024), the latter despite ranking top 5 in pass attempts, completions and yards. He has evolved into a solid, albeit conservative passer who adds some value with his legs. His supporting cast in Las Vegas won't be quite as good as in Seattle, though Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers provide a pair of good targets. Now 34, Smith is best viewed as a fringe QB2 with limited upside.